Prison Break - Season 5 Episode 10
by PrisonBreakFan08
Summary: Here is my take on what could have happened if we had had another episode, you know one when nobody runs for his or her life. The story starts right after Michael's meeting with the CIA director and will include in a future chapter the last scene of Episode #9 when we see them at the park. Like the title says, the story obviously contains Season 5 spoilers.
1. You're free to go, Mr Scofield

Author's notes:

I can't believe Prison Break is over. The season went by too quickly. It felt like we were robbed when they decided to go from 10 to 9 episodes. And who payed the price? Our poor Misa hearts! Don't get me wrong, I LOVED Episode #9 but we definitely deserved more MiSa scenes, especially after Jacob was arrested. Hence this story…

We discovered with the scene at the park that Sara had a tattoo of a crane on her right shoulder (!) but am I the only one who noticed that Sara (Sarah?) had a tattoo above her left hip too? We saw part of it when she was trying to free herself in the basement of the lake house. I couldn't see it completely so I don't know what it is exactly but I took some liberties and ultimately "decided" what it was (what it is will be revealed in an upcoming chapter). The magic of fanfictions!

This is my second PB story, the first one being an AU one ("You ever think… In another life?"). Before we knew what Season 5 would be like and where the action would pick up, I had started to work on a potential "fix-it" story which picked up after Season 4 when Mike was only 18 months old. I hesitated between the AU story and the fix-it story for a long time but in the end opted to focus on the lighter one. I guess I needed more joy and less torment in my life at the time. Now "You ever think… In another life?" is almost finished (30 chapters posted so far and only a couple left). Maybe I'll work on my third PB story when I'm done… Thanks for reading! Enjoy this new story and do not hesitate to leave a review! Also, I can't wait to read new PB fanfictions to see what others have imagined :)

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own PB.

 **"** **You're free to go, Mr. Scofield."**

Lincoln, Sara and Mike were in Sara and Mike's room, one of the two rooms that Michael had booked for them. Lincoln's room was adjacent to theirs, with communicating doors, and was exactly the same: a bathroom when you entered, then two queen size beds, and finally a couch and coffee table by the large window at the opposite end of the room. Mike was sitting on the couch next to his uncle. Sara was sitting at the bottom of the bed that was near the sofa. The adults were watching news on tv, watching was the key word there, as the volume was so low that they could barely hear what was said. Mike was drawing a boat at the coffee table. He _loved_ drawing boats but that time it wasn't a pirate ship, it was a large sailboat. Lincoln glanced at his nephew's creation and found it oddly familiar. It didn't make any sense but he would have sworn that it looked like the Christina Rose, the boat that Michael had commissioned in Panama in prevision for their escape from Fox River. His eyes returned to the screen, more for the distraction than anything else. It was getting late and they still hadn't heard from Michael. Suddenly, two soft knocks on the door were heard inside the room. Mike glanced up at his mother who briefly locked eyes with her brother-in-law. Sara quickly got up and went to the bedroom door. She peeked through the spy-hole, holding her breath when she saw that it was Michael. She opened the door and Michael entered, shutting the door behind him with a shaky hand. His stare was blank and he was white as a ghost. All eyes were on him, not that he noticed it. They were waiting for him to talk but he didn't seem like he was about to.

Lincoln was the first one to speak up: "How did it go at the shipyard?" Still no reaction from Michael.

Sara started to look at her husband with concern. "Michael", she said, trying to grab his attention unsuccessfully. "Michael", she repeated a little louder and that time he looked at her. "How did it go, Michael?" If he was there, with them, it meant that he wasn't under arrest, Sara thought. That was a good sign, right?

"It's over", Michael finally replied, his face emotionless.

They had been disillusioned so often that Sara didn't want to be too hopeful before she knew for sure. "What do you mean exactly?"

Michael's gaze met Sara's and he responded: "I'm free… Finally." His voice broke a little at the end and he closed his eyes, lowering his head in the process.

Sara's reaction was instinctive: she wrapped her arms around him, her hands holding his upper back tight. Michael's head rested in the crook of her neck and Sara felt a few tears coming out of Michael's eyes, hers soon joining his. Michael was free. _They_ were all free. They embraced for a long time and only let go of each other when they realized that they were not alone in the room. They wiped their eyes rapidly and returned their attention to the two persons sitting on the couch.

"What happened with…" Lincoln didn't believe that Poseidon deserved to be acknowledged by his real name. He had never liked the guy. Now he knew why!

"He's been arrested for the murder of Harlan Gaines and for framing me." Lincoln and Sara both exhaled in relief when they heard the news.

Michael's eyes fell on his son who was staring at him but when he looked at him, Mike avoided his gaze. Michael walked in his direction and slowly sat on the coffee table in front of him. Sara followed him and sat on the couch's armrest, her and Lincoln on either side of Mike. She put a hand around her son protectively.

"Hi Mike", he said with a gentle voice. Mike glanced up at his father tentatively. "I'm sorry we had to meet under such terrible circumstances and I'm sorry you got caught in the middle of all this."

Mike swallowed and looked at Michael in the eye. "I'm sorry for what I said to you", he blurted, remorse evident on his face. "He told me Mommy was dead and then he told me that you had done horrible things." He had first realized that Jacob was a liar as soon as he had noticed his supposedly dead mother hiding behind a tree outside of the room where he was held. Confusion and betrayal had prevailed first, soon replaced by relief to be in his mother's arms and to see that his uncle was okay. Sara and Lincoln had explained to him who Jacob really was and how he had forced Michael to stay away from his family. After that, guilt had invaded him. He had understood that his real father was indeed the person he had met in the lake house and that he was the good man he had always thought he was. Since he had learned that Michael had gone to confront Jacob, he had hoped that his father would have the upper hand and that he would get the chance to apologize to him in person.

Michael's heart broke at his son's words. How could a man do such despicable things to an innocent child? He pushed away the anger that threatened to overcome him to focus on the beautiful boy that Sara had to raise without him and that he had longed to meet for seven years. "It's okay, Mike. I don't blame you. He lied to everyone, not just to you. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" Mike nodded slowly and Michael took it as a sign that he had reached out to him. "I'm sure that your mother and your uncle have told you the most important things that you needed to know but do you have questions for me?"

Sara had never heard Michael speak with such a soft voice. She had always thought his voice was soft with her but she now knew that he could have an even softer voice with his child. That made her smile.

Mike seemed to hesitate for a second before he opened his mouth. "Are we really safe now?"

"Yes, Mike, we are", Michael replied with conviction. A hint of a smile appeared on the little boy's face. They were safe. All of them. He was right: storms _could_ come back. And he would finally be able to get to know his father. "Do you have other questions for me? You can ask me anything."

His eyes fell on Michael's hands. "Is it true that you have secret messages hidden inside your tattoos?"

Michael smiled. A genuine smile. "Yes, it is", he confirmed. "For example", he started while he revealed his forearm and pointed at some blue shapes, "this is the hours for the Northern New York Regional Zoo."

"Why would you want that?"

Michael exhaled before answering. "Because I liked going to the zoo. Do you know who else liked to go to this zoo?" Mike shook his head. "Your mother. She often brought you there when you were little."

Mike looked at his mother for confirmation. "That's right, Mike. You liked to see all the animals. But you particularly loved the birds."

Mike smiled at the idea. It sounded like him. Birds have always fascinated him. "Did you secretly follow us there?"

His son was smart, very smart and Michael's pride was visible. "Yes, I did. And here, in Arabic, are passages from the Quran that I used to send a message to your uncle. It was actually a map to lead him to a place that we would need to escape."

"A map?!" His uncle nodded to confirm. His interest couldn't have been higher. "Uncle Linc, did you know what it meant right away?"

"No", he chuckled. "But I knew it was a code because it was from your father. I had to ask for help actually." He turned to Sara and added: "Sheba and C-Note."

Mike was amazed. His father liked to hide secret messages in his tattoos, just like him with his drawings. He looked at Michael expectantly. He wanted to know everything about the tattoos!

Michael then showed the palms of his hands and asked: "These are my favorites. Can you see what they are?"

"Eyes?"

"That's correct", he corroborated gently.

"But do you know whose eyes are these?" Mike mouthed "no", which prompted Michael to continue. "Your mother's."

Mike gasped at the revelation then quickly added: "So that you wouldn't feel lonely when you were away?"

"Yes", he replied, getting choked up. "And also so that I could look at her when I needed strength." He looked at Sara when he pronounced the last sentence. Sara held his gaze and he saw a wave of emotions on her face, the same emotions he had felt so many times while thinking about Sara. Pain, sorrow but also love. So much love.

Oblivious to his parents' internal turmoil, Mike retorted, excitedly: "That is so cool! Do you have more tattoos than Uncle Linc?"

"Not anymore. I used to, a long time ago, but I had them removed. I got these tattoos more recently and they're only on my hands and forearms."

"Are you going to remove them too?"

"I'm not sure yet", he replied, which was true. Except for the tattoos on the back of his hands, he wouldn't mind keeping the other ones. He would have to ask Sara about them.

Mike interrupted his reflections: "Uncle Linc has lots of tattoos but I don't think they have secret codes hidden in them." Lincoln smirked. Yeah, well, I'm not as crazy as my brother, he said to himself. "Mommy has tattoos too!"

Michael's head turned instantly to focus on Sara. One of his eyebrows raised, he couldn't mask his surprise. That was definitely something new. She had never considered getting a tattoo before. She had even told him so at some point. "My favorite is the one on her shoulder. It's a crane. Mommy says it symbolizes family." His lips were curled up in a big grin, his enthusiasm was evident.

"I love cranes too", Michael simply responded with a smile of his own, eyeing Sara one more time, as if to say "this conversation is not over". She returned his smile but did not elaborate. Now was not the time.

Three loud knocks were heard inside the bedroom and Michael jumped in his skin. Sara saw his shoulders relax as soon as they heard the voice on the other of the door say "room service". She got up once again to open the door, gently touching his shoulder, and came back with four meals. They had ordered burgers with fries and salad. Sara put everything on the table. Michael had moved to sit on the ground, close to his son. Sara sat down on the carpet as well, in front of Mike and next to Michael. Michael lifted the top bun of his burger and removed the pickles that were on the meat. He stopped when he was about to put the bun back. Mike was doing the exact same thing with his burger.

"You don't like pickles either?" he whispered to his son.

Mike made a face and replied in a low voice: "I find them disgusting."

Michael's response ("I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that!") made Sara smile and shake her head in disbelief. She had no idea that Mike's famous distaste for pickles came from his father. It was incredible how these two were alike, even despite the fact that they had only formally been introduced to each other 24 hours before. She wondered how many more surprises she was going to discover in the future about the father and son duo.

"You know what that means, Mikey?" Lincoln interjected, his hand above Mike's meal. "It means more for me!" And with that, he took the slices of pickles from his plate as well as his brother's.

Twenty minutes later, dinner was finished. Mike wiped his hands on a napkin and asked, to no one in particular: "No dessert?"

"Sorry, baby", Sara answered, regretting that she had completely forgotten to add dessert to her order.

"I have Tic Tacs", exclaimed Lincoln, pulling a little box from his pocket.

"Tic Tacs", Mike shouted.

"There was a boy in Yemen. He was a bit older than you, Mike. He called me Tic Tac Man because I gave him Tic Tacs once." Mike chuckled, soon followed by his father. "Oh, don't laugh, Michael. He had a good name for you too!"

"For me?!"

"Yeah, he called you Bubble Gum Man!"

"Ha! That must be because I always gave him gum in the messages that I asked him to deliver for me in exchange for his assistance."

They stayed at the table a little while longer before Sara instructed Mike to go get ready for bed and they both quickly disappeared in the bathroom. It was way past his regular bedtime but it wasn't a normal day. It was the first day of their lives as a family, as a complete family, and it was worth going to sleep much later than usual. While Sara and Mike were in the bathroom, Lincoln took the opportunity to ask about Whip and T-Bag. Michael revealed the details of the face-off with Jacob and A&W, tears menacing to spill when he announced the passing of Whip. Lincoln barely knew the guy but he had come to like him and he admired how loyal Whip had been to Michael, up until his last breath.

When Mike was sitting in bed, his legs under the blankets, Lincoln wished them a good night and retreated to his bedroom. Michael's gaze following him until the door was closed behind him. Sara explained to Michael that she had clothes for him thanks to her friend Heather who had brought clothes that belonged to her, her husband and her son for all of them. The fit wasn't perfect but they would be able to wear clean clothes until they went shopping or, as in Sara and Mike's case, until they went back to the house to pick up their own clothes.

Before Michael went to the bathroom (he was in a desperate need of a shower), he approached Mike's bed. "Is it okay if I hug you, Mike?" Mike nodded and let his father put his arms tight around him, hugging him back. It was very different from the hug that they had shared at the lake house. They were not scared for their lives anymore and Mike reveled in the safety of his father's strong arms for the first time.

Michael took his time in the shower, wishing that the almost burning liquid could wash away all the blood that was on his hands. Whip's blood was literally and figuratively on his hands but he knew all too well that no matter how long he stayed under the spray, he would not be able to get rid of it. He finally allowed himself to mourn the man he had brought into his quest, his devoted partner for the last six years. Whip would be, he hoped, the last person close to one of them to die of all this madness. His mind jumped to Sid, probably the only person he had ever met in prison who absolutely did _not_ deserve to be there. No one should be imprisoned for loving another individual. Sid had his whole life ahead of him but he would never enjoy freedom. If tears came out of Michael's eyes, they mixed with the running water of the shower. Sara must have started to worry because next thing he knew he heard knocks on the bathroom door and Sara asking him if he was alright. He put an end to his shower, brushed his teeth and put the pajamas pants and clean tee-shirt that Sara had given him. He exited the bathroom to find Mike asleep and Sara on the other bed. "How is he?"

"He was shaken up, like the rest of us. But I think he's going to be fine. Love, and time, will heal."

He nodded and glanced at the door leading to Lincoln's room, hesitating before speaking again. "Is it okay, me here with you and Mike? I mean, I could go with Linc…"

"Do you want to go with Linc?"

"It's not just about what I want, Sara", he replied, looking at Mike.

Sara glanced at her son, _their_ son, and smiled. Despite everything he's been through, her husband was still putting everyone else's needs before his own. "I want you here, with us, where you belong and should always have been. You're his father and my husband, Michael." She paused for a second before asking: "What do _you_ want?"

He didn't answer her question. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep…"

"That makes two of us. At least, we'll be together."

Her words and the smile that supported them made his last doubts vanish. He joined Sara in bed and laid down on his back next to her. Turning on her side to face him, Sara immediately took Michael's left hand in hers. They remained immobile for some time before Sara spoke: "I'm sorry I let him in our lives." In response, Michael squeezed her hand. "I let him near our son, Michael", she added. She had finally verbalized her deepest regret. She wouldn't mention how dirty she felt for having shared her bed with Jacob. Those feelings, she decided, she would keep to herself, just like, she was sure, Michael would hide some of the things that had happened in the last seven years from her. They would have to deal with them on their own and it was okay. For the most part, they would be able to rely on each other to heal and that was what mattered.

"I thought we had agreed a long time ago, outside the warehouse in Los Angeles, that we were done with apologies. Because if it's not the case, how about I'm sorry it took me seven years to come back to you?"

Sara lifted herself up on one elbow and locked eyes with him in the dimly lit room. "Okay. I'll just say this then: thank you for coming back to us", she murmured before gently kissing him on the lips and returning to her initial position on the bed. Sara turned his hand in hers and stared at his palm. "So, you have my eyes in your hands." She was curious about the tattoo and wanted to change the topic of conversation at the same time, in order to diffuse some of the tension.

"I have the _image_ of your eyes on my hands. It sounds less creepy, don't you think?"

"Yeah, and considerably more romantic", she added playfully.

"He has your eyes", Michael said with a smile. Sara returned his smile. "He looks a lot like you." He turned on his side to face her. "He's as beautiful as you."

Sara blushed at the compliment, taking his right hand in hers and gently stroking his knuckles with her finger. "You know, at first, I was disappointed that he didn't have the same eye color as you. But, with time, I learned that he didn't need to physically look like you to actually look like you, to think like you and act like you." Michael was suspended to her every word. He was so eager to learn more about his son. He was also proud of the fact that his son already resembled him so much. "I remember Lincoln telling me when Mike was about two years old, that he reminded him of you so much. Just the way he was playing, it was you at the same age." Michael heard the love Sara had for their son but also sensed the pain that was accompanying it. The pain that he had involuntarily caused. Sara perceived his sense of guilt immediately and tried to alleviate his burden. "It might take some time, Michael, but we're going to get through this." Michael's response was to wrap his arms around Sara and hold her tight. Tears escaped from their eyes and they let them flow freely. They were together at last and life suddenly looked brighter. "I love you", Sara whispered after a moment of silence.

"I love you too, Sara", Michael replied.


	2. It's a pleasure to meet you, Michael

**"** **It's a pleasure to meet you, Michael!"**

Mike opened his eyes and took a minute to situate himself. He lifted his head from the pillow and stared at his parents in the other bed. It was a strange concept, _his parents_ , but one that he was more than ready to get used to. His mother was lying against his father with her head in the crook of his neck and her left hand on his chest. He rarely got the chance to see his mother in bed. She was usually up before him and on the rare instances when he went to her room and she was still in bed, she was always sleeping on her side of the bed, a safe distance between her and Jacob. He smiled to himself and realized that his father was looking at him with a smile of his own. Michael put the index finger of his right hand on his lips to show him to remain silent and slowly extricated himself from Sara's embrace without waking her up. He joined Mike near the door leading to Lincoln's room and heard the muffled sound of a television. He gently pushed the door separating the two rooms and they entered the room. Mike jumped on his uncle's bed and took the remote in his hand until he found a channel with cartoons.

Michael sat down on the other bed with his back against the headboard, allowing himself to reflect on the night before. Sara and him talked most of the night. They disclosed details of their respective "missions", holding each other close the whole time. Sara shared with him the relief of finding Mike exactly where Poseidon's dying henchman had indicated. Michael revealed what had happened at the old shipyard, including Whip's passing and T-Bag's arrest. They let sorrow invade them and, even if they didn't verbalize it, their hearts also ached for T-Bag who had lost his son shortly after finding him. They had seen how he had reacted when Michael had laid out his plan to take Poseidon down, his willingness to do everything in his power to free his son from Jacob's tight grip. They talked about the meeting with the CIA director hours before and the follow-up meeting they both had in the morning. They also talked about the future, their future together. In the end, Michael probably slept for two hours, having fallen asleep after Sara. He had been woken up by Mike's movements in bed, seeing his son as soon as he opened his eyes. He had dreamt of that so many times. It was still surreal to be there with him, with Sara, and with his brother. Before getting too emotional, Michael got up and searched the menu for room service to order breakfast for the four of them.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Sara entered the room an hour later to find Lincoln eating breakfast on his bed and watching tv with a distracted eye. Her gaze then fell on the two persons sitting on the couch and her heart almost burst out of her chest at the sight in front of her. Michael and Mike were sitting next to each other, eating their breakfast in comfortable silence while watching the cartoons on the screen.

"I never heard you leave the room", Sara said with a warm smile.

"We were quiet like ninjas, right, Mike?" Mike confirmed with a nod of the head. "You're just in time for another episode of Mike the Knight", declared Michael in lieu of greeting.

"Mike the Knight, huh?" Sara sat down with them, grabbed the plate that was for her and started to eat with appetite.

"Yeah, although Mikey is not the biggest fan", Lincoln replied. "Apparently, he prefers Greek heroes to Middle Ages knights!"

Sara smiled. Of course, he does, she thought. "Mike, you know when I left to go to your father and uncle?" Mike looked at her with anticipation. "Well, I joined them in Greece."

Mike's mouth opened in disbelief. Her mother had gone to Greece to meet his father and his uncle just after they had talked about Greek heroes?! He had so many questions! He hoped that one day he would get answers to them.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Once they arrived at the CIA headquarters, Michael and Sara were separated. Michael was directed towards an office while Sara was ushered in a small conference room by a female agent. The agent was tasked with taking her statement from the moment when she came back from Crete to the moment when Mike was rescued on campus. The CIA director observed from another room, thanks to the cameras that were installed inside. He could only admire Sara's courage and determination in the face of so much adversity. When everything was on the line, she didn't shy away from danger and ended up saving her son's life, her husband's and her own. As for Michael, installed in the CIA director's large office, he signed his statement from the day before and received from a forty-something male agent a brand-new passport as well as a driver's licence for the State of New York and other official papers that proved his true identity. Since he didn't have a home in his name, it had been decided that Sara's address would be used. Oh, the irony, he thought. Sara was relieved to join him as soon as she was done. With all that had happened, she had a hard time trusting government agencies completely. She nervously squeezed Michael's shoulder before sitting down on the chair next to him. The CIA director entered the room shortly after and introduced himself to Sara.

"Mrs. Scofield, thank you for coming this morning. I can't tell you how sorry I am about what your family has been through. We know that nothing will be able to compensate for the last seven years but we hope that you will accept our sincere apologies and the money that we're offering you. Of course, we would appreciate your discretion in exchange… Mr. Scofield, we've taken the liberty to set up a bank account for you and have deposited the amount of seven million dollars on it." Michael and Sara's eyes widened when they heard the number. "You've been away for seven years, it seemed fitting", he offered. "Mrs. Scofield, for your son and yourself, here is a check for two million dollars." He handed her an envelope. "We have an additional check for Mr. Lincoln Burrows for the amount of one million dollars. Can I count on you to deliver it in person?"

Michael nodded and took the envelope with the check. Before he could place it with his papers, Sara put a hand on his forearm. "Excuse me, Sir, but could I have a word with my husband, please?" Michael's attention was stuck on one word, "husband". Sara had just called him her husband and it felt so good. The man exited the room and Sara explained what was on her mind. "Listen, Michael, when I was exonerated and came back to the States, I was able to access my bank accounts as well as my father's inheritance. What I'm trying to say is that between my money and yours now, we have more than we need. Why don't we ask them to give some to the persons who helped us?"

Michael looked at Sara with adoring eyes and smiled. "I was about to ask you the same thing", he simply replied. "Would one million each to C-Note, Sucre and Sheba be okay, you think?"

"Yeah."

Michael went to the door to let the director back in. He explained what Sara and him had just discussed. The director acquiesced to their request and opened another folder.

"Mrs. Scofield, with regards to your marriage to Mr. Ness", he started, seeing both Sara and Michael tense at the name, "since your first husband, Mr. Scofield, was actually not dead, it became void and was erased from all records." He gave them a moment to process the information and continued: "We have also re-issued your son's birth certificate. The new version, Mr. Scofield, doesn't have "deceased" next to your name as the father."

Sara was too choked up to articulate a simple "thank you". Michael closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He felt overwhelmed. First, he received official papers with his real name on them, then Sara's marriage to Jacob had been declared null and now he was listed as Mike's father, not as Mike's deceased father. Sara grabbed his hand and held it tight. It wasn't even noon and she was already exhausted. Before they left the CIA offices, Sara signed her statement and they wrote notes to their friends to go with the checks.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Michael told me you risked your job, your life savings and ultimately your life to help him get back home.

THANK YOU, Fernando.

Love,

Sara

XXXXXXXXXXXX

No amount of money will erase the fact that I owe you my life, Benjamin.

Take care of yourself and your family,

Michael

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Thank you so much for your help, Sheba.

We couldn't have done it without you.

I hope we can stay in touch,

Michael

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Michael and Sara quickly drove away, eager to reunite with Mike and Lincoln. After a long silence, Sara was the first one to speak. "You're really considering keeping the tattoos this time?"

"Except for the ones on the back on my hands, yeah, maybe. What do you think?"  
"I think that you shouldn't get rid of them on my account. What's on the back of your hands anyway?" She wanted to take his right hand in hers and examine it but Michael kept it firmly on the wheel.

"I'm not sure you want to know", he responded enigmatically.

"Why? Is it related to Jacob?" she asked without skipping a beat.

Michael kept his eyes on the road and nodded. "It's what allowed me access to his lair at the university", he provided, avoiding to tell her how exactly he had managed that feat.

Sara pondered his answer for a few seconds, then said bluntly: "You're right, I don't want to know!"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Lunch was taken at a diner near the hotel. It was Michael's first meal in public in years and he was going to need time to get used to it but there was no way that he was going to hide again, unless it was his decision. Besides, Mike and Lincoln were happy to be outside the hotel after having spent a couple of hours at the hotel pool and some more time in their hotel room, waiting for them to come back. It was decided that Sara and Mike would go and visit Heather in the afternoon, while Michael and Lincoln would go to Syracuse's best tattoo parlour. Once there, Michael simply asked the tattoo artist to alter the tattoos on the back of his hands. He gave her free reign as to what she could do. Michael only wanted to mask Poseidon's face, a face that he would gladly forget. He knew that it was more symbolic than anything but it felt good regardless to see the end result. It was a collection of multiple abstract forms that neatly covered the face's most prominent features and that were connected to each other with straight or curved lines. He really liked it, his brother too. No secret message behind it, just remarkable artwork.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Michael! I'll be honest, I never thought I would get the chance to. Sara told me everything. Well, I'm sure it's far from being everything, but you know what I mean."

Michael smiled. "Yeah. It's a pleasure to meet you too, Heather. Thank you for being such a good friend to Sara all these years. And thank you for the clothes."

Heather smiled too. "I'm glad I could help. What a crazy story, huh?"

Michael scoffed. "You can say that…"

"Do you really think you're going to leave New York?"

"Probably", Sara responded. They were still unsure where they wanted to live but they were certain that staying in Ithaca, or even the state of New York, was not an option. Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami were also out of the question. Too many bad memories in those cities. They wanted to find a place where they could really start fresh. Sara would miss her friend but she had to do that for herself and her family. She hoped that Heather would visit her one day in their new home because when she would leave, she had no intentions of setting foot in Ithaca ever again.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Michael, Sara, Mike and Lincoln left Heather shortly before six and returned to the hotel where a surprise guest was waiting for them in the lobby. Mike was the first one to notice the man's presence. "LJ", he shouted, then went to hug him when his cousin kneeled in front of him.

"Hey Mike! How are you doing?"

"Great", the boy exclaimed. "You're here to see your uncle?" Mike loved having an uncle and he was happy that LJ would have an uncle too, an uncle that was alive, just like his.

"And you, and your mother, and my father", LJ enumerated, making Mike chuckle. LJ's presence wasn't a surprise for his father since he was the one who had called him the night before to inform him that his uncle was alive and in New York. LJ had immediately planned his visit from Boston where he was living, asking for a short leave, citing a family emergency, which was the truth. His boss hadn't expected that instead of a death in the family it was because his supposedly dead uncle was actually alive that he needed to leave town. LJ had promised him and his colleagues details of the whole story when he would get back. But for now, all he wanted to do was hug his uncle, the man that he had always looked up to and that, like everyone else in the family, he had missed terribly. "Uncle Mike", he said with emotion before he was hugged by Michael. The embrace was short yet full of love. With LJ, Michael's family was finally complete.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

After a nice supper at an Italian restaurant (Mike's favorite), they went back to the hotel. Sara wanted to put Mike to bed a little early. He had woken up once the night before, haunted by a nightmare whose content she could only imagine. He had refused to talk about it but his behavior made it evident: he was still frightened that she would disappear on him and he had kept an eye on her as soon as they had come back from their meeting with the CIA. Sara knew the feeling too well, she had been scared to death when Jacob had taken him. He was her boy and the idea of losing him was unfathomable. He had gone to bed without protest and an hour later, Michael and Sara were in bed too. They had spent a little bit of time with Lincoln and LJ but, despite the door connecting both rooms being open, they were reluctant to leave him for too long.

"Do you think I answered Mike's questions correctly?" Michael was lying on his back and looking at Sara who was mirroring his position next to him.

"I believe you did. He would have asked more questions if he hadn't been satisfied with your answers."

"Okay", he simply replied, turning his head and staring at the ceiling in the dark room.

Lincoln and LJ had wished Mike a good night and Michael had been about to do the same and leave him with Sara when his son's voice had stopped him: "How did you go from Yemen to Greece and then back here?" Sara had not told him about Yemen. He had probably heard some exchanges between her and Lincoln. Michael had given him a simplified version of their escape from Sana'a to Phaecia, Crete, Marseilles and finally New York. He had deliberately omitted the parts where their lives had been in terrible danger and where people had died, notably when they had gone across the desert or when they had to jump off a cargo ship about to be sunk down by a missile. He was maybe new to fatherhood but he knew that some details were better left out when you had a seven-year-old boy whose imagination was already in overdrive. Mike's reaction to Michael's account had left them speechless. Their son's exact words had been: "Wow, almost as epic as Odysseus' journey!" Yeah, Mike was definitely too wise for his own age…

Sara was silent for a moment, hoping that Michael wouldn't start second-guessing himself as a parent. Once again, she decided to redirect the conversation: "I didn't get the chance to have a proper look at your new ink. Are you happy with it?"

"Yeah, yeah, I am. Speaking of tattoos, are you going to tell me about yours or not? I'm dying to know here!"

Sara chuckled nervously. If she had to be honest, she was feeling shy. Talking about her tattoos with Michael had never been a possibility. His loss was what had prompted her to have them in the first place. She cleared her throat. "Well, you know that I have one on my shoulder. It's on my right shoulder."

"A crane", he provided and Sara was able to see a small smile on his lips.

"An origami crane to be more precise. It's the first one I got. I was about six months pregnant with Mike." Sara swallowed the lump in her throat. It had been an extremely difficult moment in her life. She had to get ready for her child's arrival, while still mourning the love of her life. "I wanted something that would help me during the last months of my pregnancy", she offered as an explanation.

Michael felt tears coming up and he was glad for the obscurity of the room. He put his right hand on Sara's arm in a futile attempt at comforting her. He had not been there when Sara had needed him the most. That would be an indelible scar for the rest of their lives but there was nothing to do about it. They could only move forward.

"How many more do you have?" Michael inquired with curiosity.

"Only one", she replied, smiling.

"What is it?"

"If you can be patient a little bit more, I'll show you tomorrow."

"Are you at least going to tell me where it is?"

"Patience, Scofield."  
"So mysterious…"

Sara grinned and kissed him softly on the lips. "We should sleep. I don't know about you but I'm exhausted."

"Yeah, me too. It feels like I haven't had a decent night of sleep in years."

"Good night, Michael."

"Good night, Sara."


	3. Do we need to explain it to you

Author's notes:

A very informed guest reviewer told me that the tattoo I was alluding to in the author's notes for my first chapter is actually SWC's own real tattoo. Apparently, it's a butterfly. However, in the world of fanfictions, I am the master of my ship so I'm going to stick to what I had intended in the first place for Sara's second tattoo. Its location will remain the same but the actual image will differ :)

FYI, I am planning a few more chapters after this one to follow our favorite family.

 **"** **Do we need to explain it to you?!"**

On Thursday, for their second morning of freedom, the Scofields woke up in the same order: first Mike, then Michael, and finally Sara. As the morning before, father and son quietly made their way to Lincoln's bedroom and settled for another episode of Mike the Knight. Sara joined them 30 minutes later, fresh out of a quick shower. They enjoyed breakfast together in front of the television before Sara got up and went to their room, soon followed by Michael.

"You're sure you don't want me to come, Sara?"

"Yes, I'm sure, Michael. Heather will be there with me. I want you to stay with Mike and spend some time with him as well as your brother and nephew."

Michael looked for any signs of uncertainty from Sara but found none. She would always surprise him, in the best possible way. Her resilience was unparalleled and he nodded his approval. She was right as usual. He needed, no, he wanted to spend time with his son but it didn't stop him for worrying about Sara. After all that he had put her through, he couldn't help it. Before he dwelled any longer in his negative thoughts, Mike arrived and commanded their attention. He wanted to get out of the room and do something while his mother would be gone.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"How did it go?" Michael asked Sara as soon as he entered the room, less than five minutes after Lincoln had received a text from Sara telling them that she was back at the hotel.

She was just out of the shower after a morning spent at her soon-to-be former house with Heather. Before selling the house that she had bought after her return to the States with Mike, she needed to take care of a few things and that's why she had returned there that morning. "It went okay, I guess." She shrugged. "I feel better now that it's done." She had taken some things with her, including official papers and clothes for her and Mike, while she had packed others, leaving a few boxes with Heather until they knew where they were going to live. She had thrown Jacob's possessions out as well as all the pictures of him with her and Mike. The rest would stay in the house for visits with potential buyers. Heather's husband was a real estate agent and he had offered his services in helping her sell the house, which she had gladly accepted. After locking the house, she had given her keys to Heather so that she could give them to her husband and just like that, she had driven away, not even bothering to have a look in the rear-view mirror when the car sped up. She had asked Mike if he wanted to join her but he had declined, stating that last time he was there, Jacob had told him that she was dead. Like her, he was ready to put Jacob and their life with him behind them. Willing herself out of her own thoughts, Sara interrogated Michael: "Where were you? You arrived quite fast."

"We were at the pool. Mike wanted to go swimming again. LJ had his swimsuit so he went with him in the pool."

"Have you been at the pool all morning?!"

"No", Michael chuckled. "We went to Barnes and Noble first. Mike suggested that we go there."

"Did Lincoln and LJ accompany you too?!" Sara knew that her brother-in-law wasn't an avid reader and she suspected that LJ wasn't one either.

"Well, they found the café and waited for us there while we went through the kids' section. We bought two very interesting books about Greek mythology. They're intended for children but they're so well done, Sara, that you will want to read them too! The descriptions, the illustrations, everything is great!" Sara smiled at his enthusiasm. She was happy to know that they had found something to do just the two of them, something that they were both passionate about. "I got you something", Michael suddenly added with a mysterious smile. He went to the table where there was a paper bag from the bookstore.

Sara took the three books that Michael handed to her and frowned. "Travel guides?"

"I figured they could help us decide", he explained. Michael and Sara were still debating what to do and where to go next. They knew that they wanted to live in a liberal city and it was important to them that they had no previous history with said city. In the end, three cities had made their short list of potential places to raise their family: Portland, Oregon; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Boston, Massachusetts. Hence, Michael's choices of travel guides about the three cities. "We can always visit the other two once we have settled down. You know, one day."

Sara gently put her left hand on his cheek and kissed him softly on the lips. "That's a great idea. Thanks, Michael." Sara walked to the dresser and picked a pair of gold earrings in the jewelry box that she had brought back from the house.

"I've always loved these earrings", Michael commented as soon as he noticed them. They were the ones that Sara wore for their wedding.

"I know", Sara replied with a hint of a smile on her lips. She was facing the mirror next to the dresser and Michael smirked when he noticed that there was Mickey's winking face on the front of her blue striped tank. She moved her hair on one side to be able to put her right earring on and that's when, with her skin exposed, Michael saw the tattoo on her shoulder for the first time. Jacob had never liked that tank, claiming that he wasn't a big fan of Mickey, but she had always suspected that it was because her tattoo was then partly visible. That day of all days, Sara had decided that she was going to wear her Disney top. She was relieved after having gone to the house. It felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders and Mickey's happy expression was just what she wanted after her shower. Michael's fingers instinctively moved to touch the crane delicately. "Do you like it?" Sara inquired.

"Yes", he answered, his voice barely above a whisper and his eyes never leaving the inked shape. It was one thing to know that she had chosen to have a crane tattooed on her skin, it was another one to see it for himself.

Sara turned around and her fingers started to fidget with the hem of her top nervously. "Do you want to know about the other one?" Michael's gaze locked with hers and he nodded. "I got it a few days before Mike's first birthday", she explained simply. She then slowly lifted her tank, revealing a second tattoo above her left hip bone.

Michael's eyes widened briefly, then narrowed on the form of an origami rose, an almost exact replica of the one Michael had given her in Fox River. The image left him speechless for a moment. He looked Sara in the eye, then focused on the rose once again before cupping her face in his hands and kissing her on the lips with passion. Sara was surprised for an instant but quickly caught up and kissed him back. So far, she had been the one initiating all of their kisses since their emotional reunion in Crete. It was as if Michael was giving her time and space to deal with him returning from the dead but the sight of her second tattoo unleashed something in him and she wasn't going to complain about it. Michael pushed her against the nearest wall, his right hand moving to the small of her back, to keep her as close to him as possible, while his other one played with her hair. If their previous kisses had been rather chaste, that one wasn't. Michael parted his lips, wanting to deepen the kiss and Sara gladly obliged. She felt her own desire build up rapidly and couldn't help but moan when Michael's tongue started to dance with hers. When they eventually broke the kiss, both needing air, one of his hands moved from her back to her hip, then under her top and Sara's heart skipped a beat. God, she wanted him so badly that she was ready to have sex with him against the wall of their hotel bedroom (seven years without your husband would do that to you apparently). Alas, fate had other plans for them because they were stopped in their tracks by three firm knocks on the door.

"Sara, it's me."

Reluctantly putting a little bit of distance between Michael and herself, Sara answered with a loud but shaky voice: "Just a second, Heather!" Then, more quietly, she added for Michael: "Sorry, we'll have to continue that later…"

Michael gave her small smile and one last kiss on the lips before she went to open the door. He missed her body instantly and exhaled loudly. Seven years, he thought. Seven. Years. They deserved better than that anyway, Michael tried to rationalise, somewhat unsuccessfully.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

When Mike and LJ had paid for their tickets and entered the cinema, it was time for the others to go shopping. Michael had a lot to do since he basically only had what was on his back when he had arrived in the States. Lincoln volunteered to join him in his expedition around the huge mall. As for Sara, she had enlisted Heather's help for a trip to Victoria's Secret. If she had taken all of her clothes from the house (minus the few items that Jacob had complimented her about at some point or another), she had decided that she absolutely needed a new collection of panties and bras as well as new sleep wear.

Before they went their separate ways, Sara wished Michael and Lincoln good luck. "And Michael", she added with a teasing tone, "please try to buy more than just long sleeve tee-shirts and blue shirts!"

Michael scoffed at Sara's request. "Why would you think that I was only going to buy blue shirts and long sleeve tee-shirts?!"

"Seriously, Michael?!" Lincoln interjected. "Do we need to explain it to you?!"

"Okay, okay, you two. I get it. I'll do my best… See you in a bit. Text us when you're done!" Michael quickly kissed Sara on the cheek and they started walking in opposite directions.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Michael was always methodical and efficient and his shopping was no different. He found all the items on his list in record time:

\- Several pairs of pants, including jeans, and a leather belt;

\- Shirts (of different colors!);

\- Tee-shirts and long sleeve ones because you always need a long sleeve tee-shirt or two;

\- Socks and underwear;

\- Sleep wear;

\- A light gray full-zip hoodie (he had always liked hoodies);

\- A khaki jacket;

\- Shoes, notably a pair of black New Balance sneakers that he was particularly looking forward to wearing;

\- A wallet;

\- Sunglasses (black rimmed Ray Ban glasses because what else?!);

\- A smartphone (he was fed up with having to rely on Lincoln to pass him messages from Sara);

\- A big suitcase to carry all of his new clothes.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Two hours and thousands of dollars later, Lincoln and Michael joined Sara, Heather, Mike and LJ on the indoor patio of The Cheesecake Factory.

"Sara, you'll be happy to know that I didn't only buy blue shirts. I also got white, gray and black shirts. I even got a light pink one!"

"Is that right, Linc?!" Sara asked suspiciously.

"I dared him to buy it and he just did!"

Michael smiled and said nothing. His new clothes, including his new pink shirt, his shoes, his sunglasses and even his phone meant more than simple material possessions. They represented his rebirth as Michael Scofield, as Sara Scofield's husband, Mike Scofield's father, Lincoln Burrows' brother and LJ's uncle.

The group of six stayed a long moment on the patio, comfortably seated and enjoying delicious treats, before making their way back to the hotel.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"I can't wait to see you in your pink shirt, Michael!"

"Maybe I'll wear it tomorrow, Sara", Michael replied. They were in bed, next to each other. Sara was resting on her stomach, her upper body raised on her elbows. Michael was lying on his back, his gaze on his wife. He looked at her face intently and asked: "Are you really okay after having been to the house this morning?"

"I am now. I won't lie, it was weird going back there. But it was cathartic to throw what I threw away and to lock the front door one last time, leaving with only my things and Mike's."

Michael nodded and contemplated her response for a minute. He hesitated before speaking up: "You know, Linc and I went to your house when we made it back to the States. We were hoping to find you and Mike but you were at the lake house instead." Sara remained silent. She knew that Michael had more to say. "That night, I understood why you never responded to my messages."

Sara was confused. "What messages?"

"Sara", he started, closing his eyes momentarily, "I tried to contact you, even though I wasn't supposed to. I sent you messages on origami cranes like I used to. Lots of messages." He marked a short pause before finishing with a loud sigh and rubbing his eyes with his hand. "They were intercepted and ended up in the drain by your mailbox."

Sara opened her mouth to speak but no sound came out. He had tried to contact her. He had wanted to contact her. She leaned forward and captured his lips in an instant. In that moment, kissing him seemed to be the only thing that made sense, the only thing that made her feel complete. So, she kissed him with all the love that she had in her heart for Michael. Her tongue wandered on his upper lip until his mouth opened. Their kiss became more heated and Michael rolled them over so that he was on top of Sara. They lost themselves in the kiss but when Sara's hands sneaked under his tee-shirt and started to caress his back, Michael broke the kiss. If he didn't stop them now, they were going to have sex while their son was sleeping in the same room as them and that wasn't something he was willing to do, no matter how much he wanted to make to love to Sara. She was under him and looked as flustered as him. He kissed her one last time, that time on the shoulder, before returning to the bed and lying on his back. "We'd better cool down a bit", he stated in a whisper.

"Do you think we can still cuddle?"

"As long as we both remain fully clothed", he responded with a chuckle.

"I love you, Michael."

"I love you too, Sara."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Sara woke up in the middle of the night. She was alone in bed. She noticed that there was light coming from the bathroom and quietly got out of bed. She found Michael sitting on the bathroom floor, his knees against his chest. He had his arms folded on his knees and his head resting on them. His eyes were closed but they opened as soon as Sara entered the room. He gave her a look that broke her heart instantly. He seemed so sad and lost that she instinctively sat down next to him and enveloped him in her arms. They were silent for a minute before Sara inquired: "Do you want to talk about it?" Michael buried his face in the crook of her neck and she felt his hand grab her tee-shirt and hold it tightly. "Bad dream?" she suggested.

Michael nodded imperceptibly. He knew that it was just a nightmare but it had felt so real that he had had to get up and hide in the bathroom until his breathing had returned to normal. He had then opted to remain in the bathroom, too afraid that his mind would continue to play tricks with him if he were to fall back asleep.

"Sometimes, it helps to talk about it", she offered.

Michael distanced himself from Sara and swallowed with difficulty. "The guy who stabbed me and poisoned me, he followed us across the desert. In order to get rid of him, we separated. Lincoln went with Whip and Ja to find Phaecia and leave tracks for me. I managed to outsmart him but my car broke down and I had to walk for miles. I thought that I was lost but then I saw the fireworks." Michael swallowed again and moistened his lips. "In my dream though, there were no fireworks and I never found them. I continued to walk aimlessly in the desert until I was too tired to continue and just gave up, knowing that I was going to die there. That I was never going to see you again. And that I was never going to meet my son."

Sara couldn't find the words that would help Michael. Instead, she gave him a kiss on the head and stroked his back gently. They stayed in the bathroom for several more minutes, Sara offering him her presence in support. She sincerely hoped that time and love would heal his scars. Love, she was confident that he would get plenty with herself, Mike, Lincoln and LJ. However, considering what he had been through, he was also going to need a lot of time before he felt somewhat normal.


	4. It's a neat trick, huh

Author's notes:

Precisions about the timeline… The only indication the writers gave us was the start of Ramadan (May 26). Based on that date, I tried to estimate how many days it took Michael and Lincoln to get back to the States, then to defeat Poseidon. In my timeline, Michael's meeting with the CIA director happened on a Monday (June 5). Chapter 2 was Tuesday, June 6. Chapter 3 was Wednesday, June 7. Chapter 4 is Thursday, June 8. FYI, the scene at the park will be included in Chapter 5.

 **"** **It's a neat trick, huh?"**

Mike woke up at his usual time and Michael joined him in his brother's bedroom. When Lincoln saw Michael, he immediately asked: "Tough night?"

"Yeah, I didn't sleep well" Michael replied, not bothering to pretend that everything was fine.

"Why don't you go back to sleep? Mikey, LJ and I can have breakfast downstairs, then we can go to the pool."  
Mike's enthusiasm and his own fatigue led him to give in to his brother's suggestion and to go back to bed where Sara was still sleeping.

Sara woke up an hour later, feeling surprisingly rested after the night that they had experienced. She then checked the time on her phone and realized that it was later than she expected. The movement woke Michael up and she felt his arm tighten around her waist.

"Where is Mike?" she inquired, turning around to face her husband.

"He's with Lincoln and LJ. They were going to have breakfast first, then go to the pool."

"When was that?"

"Shortly after 8:00."

"About an hour ago then", she pondered.

Sara got up, went to the bathroom quickly, then, on her way back to the bed, she grabbed the orange juice that was in their little fridge. She sat on the bed and drank directly from the bottle under Michael's disapproving gaze.

"It's a good thing Mike is not here to see you do that!"

"Indeed", she giggled.

Michael joined her at the bottom of the bed and accepted the bottle when she handed it to him. He took several big gulps and appreciated the juice's fresh and sweet taste. He gave her the juice back and stood up to stretch his arms, back and legs. Sara was still sitting on the bed and, with Michael up and slightly in front of her to her left, she had an impeccable view. The tee-shirt that he was wearing exposed the tattoos on his forearms and the thin fabric barely concealed the muscles of his back underneath. She lowered her gaze then and glanced at the perfect shape of his behind in his pyjama pants, feeling her breathing accelerate suddenly. Michael was totally unaware of Sara's burning gaze on him and that made her smile a little.

"Do you want to take a shower first? Or do you want me to go first?" Michael asked as he saw her standing up next to him.

"No", she replied simply, taking several steps towards the door that communicated with Lincoln's bedroom.

"No? To both questions?" Michael frowned, confused.

She locked the door and turned around. "No", Sara repeated with more conviction, her eyes meeting his. "What do you say we take advantage of the fact that we have the room to ourselves?"

Michael's eyes widened in surprise and he swallowed with difficulty at the potential implications of Sara's suggestion. She stopped inches away from him and put both of her hands on his chest, tilting her head to the side, as if she was waiting for him to react to her proposal. His reaction wasn't long: in one swift motion, he grabbed Sara by the hips and pulled her towards him. The sudden proximity made her gasp but she recovered quickly and crashed her lips on his, her hands travelling to his neck to hold him in place and play with his short hair. Michael's arms moved to the small of her back and pressed her body even more against his. Their tongues began a dance of their own and the heat in the room rose significantly. The kiss wasn't enough for Sara and her fingers soon left Michael's neck to find the hem of his tee-shirt and help him out of it. Not wanting to break their kiss for longer than necessary, Michael took Sara's top off before capturing her lips in another passionate kiss. His eyes caught a brief glance at her naked upper body and his arousal increased even more. He walked them towards the bed and they continued kissing and caressing every inch of skin their hands could find. Michael felt one of Sara's hands enter his pants and his heart skipped a beat. Sara started to touch him slowly through his boxers and he moaned at the sensation which was made more intense by the skin-to-skin contact between his chest and her breasts. Gently but firmly Michael covered Sara's hand with his to put a halt to her strokes. He needed to regain a little bit of control and that was becoming difficult with Sara's fingers on his manhood.

"It's been a while, Sara… If you continue like this, it won't last very long", he apologized. It had been more than seven years for Michael to be exact.

Sara looked at him in the eye and gave him a small smile. She wished that she could say the same but she wasn't willing to let guilt or remorse invade her. Jacob had used Michael and manipulated her but he hadn't won in the end. He was in jail while Michael was with her and she decided to focus on that, and on that alone. She finished to undress and helped him discard the rest of his clothes. Once they were both completely naked, she gently pushed him on the bed and joined him under the sheets. Seven years had passed between now and last time they had made love (that was two days before their wedding) but their bodies reconnected instantly. When Michael eventually entered Sara and they started to move as one, they had another confirmation that they belonged together. Their love for each other had resisted time and death and felt stronger than ever. Their love had sustained them in their darkest moments. It was time that it fueled them in what they knew would be their happiest moments.

Five minutes after their synchronized climaxes, Michael and Sara were still cuddling in bed.

"Hum, I could really fall asleep right now", Michael commented, his eyes closed and a satisfied smile on his lips.

"But you won't. You don't want them to find us in bed when they come back! Let's go, Scofield, shower!"

"Is it an invitation?!"

Sara laughed out loud. "Maybe some other time", she replied before giving him a quick peck on the lips. "I love you."

Michael groaned. He didn't want to leave the bed (nor Sara). "I love you too. But, for the record, I'm going to miss you in the shower."

Sara smiled and pushed him. If she didn't put some distance between them, Mike, Lincoln and LJ were going to find them in a _very_ compromising situation.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

LJ had just left for Boston with the promise that they would soon see each other again and they were back at the hotel after a quick lunch.

"Hey Mikey! What do you want to do this afternoon?" Lincoln asked.

"I want to go to the zoo", Mike responded resolutely.

Seeing his nephew determination and his parents' puzzled looks, Lincoln shrugged. "The zoo it is then!"

They all gathered in one car and made their way to the zoo that Sara and Mike had last visited years ago (with Michael following them secretly). They walked for hours on the park's grounds, stopping regularly to observe the animals that captured their attention (well, mostly Mike's attention).

"Uncle Lincoln, look at this one! It's my favorite!" Lincoln was next to Mike, while Michael and Sara were walking a few steps behind, but not far enough that they couldn't hear the exchanges between Mike and Lincoln. Mike stared at the bird in its large cage admiringly. "Do you think it's its face you're seeing?"

"Yes", Lincoln replied without hesitation.

Michael's eyes were going from his son to the magnificent owl that he had admired too, back in the days.

"Wrong", Mike retorted authoritatively. "Look from this side!"

"Oh!"

"Yeah, you _think_ it's its face but then you look closer and you realize that it's not. It's a neat trick, huh?"

"It is. Come on, let's go see the flamingos!"

Michael's hands were still firmly holding the rail. He lowered his head and Sara saw his shoulders shake. She approached him with worry, fearing that he might be sobbing, but when she got nearer she realized that he was in fact chuckling.

"Are you laughing?!" she asked.

"This bird is what inspired me for the tattoos on my hands", he explained.

"Wow, good thing he looks like me because the rest, it's all you!"

Michael smiled and led them to the flamingos' territory where Mike and Lincoln had once again halted. He noticed Sara's captivated look and slowly wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. He glanced at the flamingos over her shoulder and asked in her ear: "Fascinated by them?"

She nodded, immediately welcoming Michael's loving embrace. If father and son appreciated the mysterious owl, Sara found the flamingos particularly beautiful. There was something majestic about their tall and thin shape. As if on cue, two flamingos started what looked like a sensual dance, at least to the untrained eye. Sara was mesmerized by the spectacle for a minute or two then said: "You know, we couldn't have coordinated our clothes better this morning. With your light pink shirt and my crimson top, we bear a striking resemblance to these flamingos."

Michael chuckled and tightened his hold on Sara, pressing his lips on her cheek at the same time. "We make a very attractive couple of flamingos!"

Sara giggled and put her hands on top of Michael's. Surrounded by Michael's arms, Sara was safe and content and she could feel her body completely relax. "I can totally see myself getting two flamingos in love for my next tattoo", she pondered out loud. Michael frowned, trying to determine if Sara was serious or not. Surprised by his silence, she declared: "You're awfully quiet…"

"I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say. I mean, who am I to comment on you wanting another tattoo?"

"True", she replied with a smirk.

When Michael and Sara finally caught up with Lincoln and him, Mike immediately remarked their matching smiles and intertwined hands. His own lips curled up at the sight. His parents really looked happy to be reunited. He was happy too.


	5. It's strange being alive again

Author's notes:

This chapter includes the beautiful scene at the park that happened in the season finale! Obviously, I do not own some of the exchanges featured in this chapter.

 **"** **It's strange being alive again."**

On Friday, June 9th, Michael went shopping again. For a swimsuit! Mike wanted to go to the pool and Michael figured that he'd better buy himself a swimsuit considering his son's love for the water. Sara took also the opportunity to buy a new laptop that would help with the search of their new home. They had a good time at the pool and were all hungry when they arrived at the hotel's restaurant for lunch. About 45 minutes later, a waiter came to clean their plates when Lincoln was asking Mike if he wanted a dessert. He had seen his nephew eyeing the dessert menu for quite some time and handed it to him.

Having witnessed the exchange, the waiter asked Mike in a joking tone: "Do you think your father will let you have one?"

Noticing that the waiter had pointed at Lincoln in the process, Mike politely replied: "This is my uncle." Then, he indicated Michael who was in front of him and added: "That's my father." He had a big smile on his lips when he ended the sentence.

Michael's heart swelled with pride and he had a smile mirroring Mike's. He tried to play it cool but hearing his son correct the waiter and call him his father was big for him. Sara did her best to conceal how emotional she was suddenly feeling and squeezed Michael's thigh under the table to let him know that she was sharing that important moment with him.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

They were crossing the lobby that they heard a feminine voice on their right: "I hope freedom is treating you well!" Michael recognized its owner immediately even he barely knew her. He welcomed Sheba and formally introduced her to Sara and Mike. Lincoln was the last one to greet her as it took him a moment to recover from the surprise of seeing her there. Michael had been the one to contact her and suggest that they meet. She had gladly accepted. First and foremost, she wanted to thank Michael in person for his more than generous donation. But she was also curious to meet the rest of his family and, if she was completely honest with herself, she had missed Lincoln. They had left things rather abruptly but not before he had kissed her! Now that they were not running for their lives, she wanted to see if there was more to their relationship than a mutual attraction, stolen glances and an unexpected kiss.

Seeing that the sun was out, Sara suggested that they all went to a nearby park. It was less crowded than on the weekend and Sara found a quiet spot on a hill that overlooked a beautiful plant sculpture representing an owl. After their visit at the zoo the day before and their encounter with a very special bird, she was amused by the coincidence. She unfolded the blanket that she had brought with her and sat down with Mike and Sheba. Lincoln and Michael were trailing behind, which, Sara suspected, was no accident. Her brother-in-law was probably still processing what Sheba's presence meant to him and he preferred to clear his head before joining her again and potentially having a discussion about their future.

Michael was sitting with Lincoln a little higher on the hill, out of ear shot but close enough to be able to see Sara, Mike and Sheba. He spoke first: "It's strange being alive again. Not running."

"Yeah. I've been running too."

"I know."

"Why did you call her?"

"Because I knew you wouldn't."

He had a point, Lincoln thought. "What's really strange is things actually working out."

"Yeah." When Michael saw Lincoln get up and take a few steps towards the others, he added: "I love you."

"I love you too", Lincoln replied. He continued to walk and sat down next to Sheba. Maybe things were going to work out with her too, he mused.

Michael stayed on his own for another minute enjoying the view of his family in front of him. He could see Sara's tattoo on her shoulder thanks to her sleeveless dress. He had always found his wife gorgeous but there was something terribly sexy about Sara with tattoos on her body. He had never considered his own tattoos sexy or attractive in any way. They had served a purpose and for that he was grateful. But he would forever be a marked man, wearing on his skin parts of his plan to regain freedom and return home to his wife and son. Michael's thoughts were interrupted by Sara when she got up, closely followed by Mike, and they walked towards him.

"I think your son wants to play soccer", she offered simply, a small smile escaping from her lips.

"Aren't you going to join us?" Michael asked.

"Have you seen these sandals, Michael? They're not made for soccer. I'm going to buy us some water but feel free to show your best moves to Mike!"

Mike chuckled and dropped the ball in front of him. They started by passing the ball to each other, then, when he realized that his father wasn't as bad as his mother, he proposed a little game of one on one. They delimited a space for the "goal" and alternated between attack and defense. At some point, Mike pretended to go left but ended up going right, passing the ball in between Michael's legs. He kicked the ball into their makeshift goal and turned around to face his father. "I got you, Daddy!" he exclaimed, grinning, with his fist in the air.

Michael once again tried to downplay the intensity of the moment and replied in what he hoped sounded a normal voice: "You sure did, Mike." He was grinning just like him.

Sara who was on her way back hadn't missed the interactions between father and son. She wasn't sure if she was going to get used to seeing them together. Her heart was threatening to burst out of her chest and she beamed when she thought about her beautiful family. _Her family_. She stopped in her tracks to admire the two playing with the ball, enjoying themselves and completely oblivious to the rest of the world. At some point, she saw Mike attempt to trick his father once again but Michael didn't take the bait. Instead, he grabbed his son by the waist and held him up so that his feet were not touching the grass anymore. Mike tried to free himself but the only result was to increase his father's hold on him, which had him shriek in laughter.

"It's not fair, Dad! Let me go!"

Sara chose that moment to make her presence known and admonished her husband playfully: "Come on, Michael, you know this is not how we play soccer!"

"Really?! Sorry but I haven't played since LJ was probably Mike's age", he replied just as playfully, finally putting his son down. Then he addressed him with an innocent look: "I can't do that, Mike?!"

Mike laughed: "No, you can't!"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Later that day, Michael, Sara and Mike were about to part with Lincoln and Sheba when Lincoln talked to Mike: "I hope your parents let you have dessert tonight, Mikey!" He winked for good measure and wished them a good evening. It would be only Sara, Mike and him for the first time and Michael knew exactly where he wanted to bring them and eat supper.

While they were in the car, Mike inquired: "Is Sheba Uncle Lincoln's girlfriend?"

"What do you think, baby?" Sara countered.

Mike pondered his response and stated: "I think she is."

"Me too."

Michael didn't say a word but he shared their opinion. He smiled to himself: Whip had seen right through Lincoln's gruff attitude and dismissive comment about Sheba since the beginning. Five minutes later, he stopped in front of Morelli's, Syracuse's finest steakhouse. Michael was on a mission…

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Do you know what you want, Mike?" Michael asked.

"Do you?" Mike answered back. "You barely looked at the menu. You too, Mom."

"That's because we know what we're getting, Mike", Michael explained with an affectionate smile.

"What's that?"

"Filet mignon", Sara replied before Michael had the time to.

"What's filet mignon?"

"It's one of the best pieces of meat you'll ever taste", Sara claimed.

Mike's decision was unequivocal: "I'll have that too, then."

Of course, Michael and Sara thought. Of course.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"You know, Michael, you could have made an effort this morning: Mike and I have matching outfits but you are wearing a plain dark shirt!"

"I have matching socks", he defended himself, showing his off-white striped socks. "Please tell me that counts!"

Sara laughed out loud. She hadn't noticed Michael's new socks yet. He was correct, they were matching after all. She asked Michael to sit next to her and Mike in their booth and grabbed her phone. Michael was the one who ultimately took a picture of the three of them. Their first official picture as a family. When Sara inspected Michael's shot, she couldn't help but tear up at their bright smiles. She would frame it and hang it in their new house! The Scofields were looking good, she thought proudly.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Later, when they were in bed and Mike was asleep, Sara said: "Thank you for supper tonight. It was delicious!"

"It was my pleasure, Sara. And, if I may add, it was about time we had our date!"

Sara chuckled quietly in the dark room. "Good things come to those who wait", she stated philosophically.

"Since when are you optimistic?!"

"Maybe since I met a guy who was?" Sara felt Michael's smile on the skin of her neck when he kissed her there. Cuddling in bed had quickly become one of their favorite moments of the day. With so little time with just the two of them since their reunion, it was what they allowed themselves without reservation: talking and cuddling in the quiet of their room at night. After seven years when they couldn't, it felt good to be able to reconnect physically and emotionally.

"I hope it's okay that we went with Mike. I mean, I thought that if we had gone in Miami, he would have been there too since you were pregnant with him. Now, the only difference was that we had to order his own meal…"

"It was perfect, Michael. Absolutely perfect."


	6. You're sure about this, Michael

Author's notes:

This will be the story's last chapter. I wasn't sure if and when I would be able to update it during the month of July if I continued, so I decided to complete it now and, who knows, maybe I'll write a sequel eventually or another story about the Scofields in the future…

So here it is. I hope you like it! Do not hesitate to leave a review.

Sending you lots of MiSa love :)

 **"** **You're sure about this, Michael?"**

 _Friday, June 16_ _th_

The Scofields had been busy in the last week. Lincoln Burrows too. He had left New York and gone back to Chicago for a few days. He had put his affairs in order there, notably taken care of his house and belongings (not that he had very much to start with). After that, he had flown to Boston and stayed with LJ while looking for something permanent. He had thought about it and came to the conclusion that he wanted to be near his son. He had spent too many years away from him, when his mother was still alive and more recently. Despite everything, even if LJ was now an adult, Lincoln thought that it wasn't too late to repair their relationship and being in the same city would be a good start. He had talked to Sheba about his decision and had suggested that she moved to Boston too, with her family of course. He had even accompanied her to Buffalo for a couple of days to discuss the possibility with her parents. Lincoln had done some research and had informed them that Boston had a vibrant Muslim community. He hoped that it would help convince them that it could be a good place for all of them.

Michael, Sara and Mike had also decided to move to Boston. Sara had actually started to consider the capital of Massachusetts before knowing Lincoln's intention to relocate there (and have Sheba and her family potentially join him). Portland was on the other side of the country and quite rainy in the winter. She wasn't sure that she wanted to live on the West Coast but she was certain that she didn't like rain. Wind, snow, she could manage but rain, for some reason, she had always disliked it. Minneapolis was the smallest cities among the three that they were contemplating and the coldest in winter, not a winning combination in Sara's mind. Once Lincoln informed them of his plan, she knew that Michael would want to be close to his brother and nephew and that Mike would love having his uncle and cousin around, so Boston really seemed the best option for them as well. The Scofields had left Syracuse less than a week ago. They had packed Sara's SUV in the morning of Saturday, June 10th and started driving East. They had stopped right after Albany for lunch, then had continued their trip and arrived in Boston shortly before 5:00 pm. They were going to stay in a nice hotel downtown that had a pool (Mike's only request) and where Sara had booked a spacious suite with two separate bedrooms (they could leave the door open between the two rooms if Mike preferred or enjoy more privacy if Mike was okay on his own).

Their first days had been spent visiting several houses and eventually finding the one they all liked in one of their favoured neighborhoods. Thanks to Heather's husband and his professional connections, they had immediately been put in contact with a local real estate agent that had helped them identify their needs and ultimately discover the perfect house for them. It had been quite fast and maybe they had been lucky (or maybe the fact that money wasn't an issue had contributed greatly) but they had found a large house that would be available two weeks after the sale had been approved and the paperwork completed. They went shopping for furniture to be delivered as soon as they got the keys and set up an appointment with the principal of a school they were hoping to send Mike to. As a result, on Friday June 16th, they had a little bit of time to relax (they went to the pool in the morning, of course!) and had lunch with Lincoln who had arrived late the night before.

"I missed you, Uncle Lincoln."

"I told you we were going to see each other very soon, Mikey. I was right." He winked at Mike for more emphasis.

Mike laughed and Michael took the opportunity to ask his brother something: "Hey Lincoln, would you like to spend the afternoon with your nephew? Sara and I have something to do that I'm not sure Mike would find very interesting."

"We have something to do?" questioned Sara.

"We do", he confirmed.

"Sure, Michael", Lincoln replied. "Okay, Mikey?"

"Yes!"

Sara gave her son a quick hug, Michael too, and they went their separate ways. After walking for two minutes in silence, Sara couldn't take it anymore: "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise!"

Sara's gaze narrowed on her husband. What was he up to? She had no idea but, knowing Michael (and seeing the little sparkle in his eyes), she guessed that she was going to like it.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"You're sure about this, Michael?"

"What? Me wanting to _look_ married to you again? Or me _being_ married to you?" They were standing in front of a jewelry store and Sara had stopped them before they could enter. Not waiting for Sara's answer, he added: "I regret many things in my life, Sara, but marrying you has never been one of them." He hoped that his eyes would convey the sincerity of his words.

"Let's go in then, Mr. Scofield." Visibly his eyes and his words were convincing.

"After you, Mrs. Scofield."

Thirty minutes later, they had picked their new wedding bands. They were both made of yellow gold, just like their original ones. They once again opted for simplicity in the rings' style. Their lives had been complicated enough that they wanted their rings to counter-balance that. Sara thought that they were done and only had to pay when Michael asked if they could engrave something inside the rings. Sara was curious suddenly. Their first rings didn't have any inscriptions. What could Michael have in mind, she pondered. It wasn't long before she found out. It was the same on both rings: "M & S Scofield". She smiled. She had kept his name, had named his son after him: yes, what Michael had asked to be engraved seemed more than appropriate. It was a perfect addition to the rings they were looking forward to wearing again.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

 _Sunday, June 18_ _th_

"Daddy, wake up! Wake up!"

Michael groaned and turned, quickly realizing that he was alone in bed but that Mike was standing next to him, looking at him with expectant eyes and almost bouncing on his feet. "What's going on?"

"We have a surprise for you!"

"For me?!"

"Yes, come! It's ready."

"Okay, okay. I'm coming."

Michael quickly got up and followed Mike in the suite's kitchen. Sara was already there, busy arranging everything on the table. She had ordered many items on the menu, including Michael's favorite: pancakes with maple syrup. He noticed that there was also a present wrapped in shiny silver paper and a drawing (obviously made by Mike) with a handmade card (also Mike's creation).

"Happy Father's Day, Dad!" Mike handed him the drawing and the card.

Michael swallowed with difficulty, then smiled at Mike. He examined Mike's gifts carefully and glanced up again at his son who was waiting for him to react. He smiled, not bothering to hide the tears that had formed in his eyes, and hugged his son tightly.

"Thank you, Mike", was all he was able to say, fearing that his voice would betray him if he tried to say anything else. He figured that his son knew anyway. It was their first Father's Day together and Michael was overwhelmed by emotions. Sara sensed his struggle to keep in control and suggested that they started eating before it became cold, which was a welcomed relief for Michael.

When they had finished breakfast and Mike had gone to the bathroom to get ready for the day, Sara got up and grabbed the present that was still on the counter behind Michael. She dragged her chair closer to Michael and handed it to him. "Happy Father's Day, Michael", she said with a smile before giving him a soft kiss on the lips.

"What's this? I thought I received my present already. You know, last night…"

Sara giggled. "Oh no, last night was just a ruse to make sure that you slept in this morning so that we could prepare everything and surprise you!"

"A ruse, huh?"

"Yes", she replied smugly.

"Feel free to use that ruse any time you want something from me!"

"Duly noted. Are you going to open your present now?"

Michael did as Sara had asked and unwrapped it rapidly. He hadn't realized what day it was and had totally been surprised by Mike and Sara. He didn't need a present on top of it but he was eager to discover what it was nonetheless. When he removed the paper completely and saw two picture frames, his eyes welled up for the second time that morning. The first one was a picture of him, Sara and Mike, the first photo that Sara had taken of the three of them. Michael lifted the frame and revealed a second one. It was a candid shot of him and Mike at the hotel pool in Syracuse. They were both laughing and having fun in the water. Sara had been very proud then to capture the moment and she was even more proud to offer him the framed picture now. She couldn't think of a better present for Michael on Father's Day.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Less than two weeks later, the Scofields finally left their hotel life and moved in their new house. They regretted the hotel pool (especially Mike) but appreciated having a real home that was just for them. Besides, the house was gorgeous. The rooms were spacious and with lots of light. Sara loved it but she suspected that her husband loved it even more after having spent many years locked in a cell. It took them a few days to settle in but they were now comfortable and very happy with their living conditions. Just like usual at night, when Sara left Mike's bedroom after having put him to bed, she went to look for Michael. Their now established routine was that Michael would go with Mike first and spend some time with him, then Sara would join them for a short while before Michael would wish Mike a good night and leave Sara with him for a final cuddle. However, that night, when Sara entered the living room, Michael was nowhere in sight. She checked everywhere and finally found him outside, sitting in their small backyard. He looked pensive, very far away from Boston. Sara approached him in silence and put her hand on his shoulder when she sat down next to him. He glanced in her direction and she saw something in his eyes that she hadn't seen in weeks, more precisely that she hadn't seen since the first nightmare that he had had back in New York. Her mood quickly changed as she was suddenly worried that something bad had happened. Michael smiled at her and turned his phone nervously in his hand.

"What is it, Michael?"

Michael stared at his phone and swallowed with difficulty. "Do you remember the letter I sent to Ja?" Sara nodded. Michael had sent him a missive to inform him of Whip's passing and of other happier developments in his life. "Well, I just received a message from Ja." He showed the phone again. "It has an attachment. A video." Michael paused for a second, inhaling deeply before exhaling loudly. "I recorded the video after our last failed escape attempt from Ogygia. It was a message for you. I really thought I was going to die and I wanted you to know the truth…" Sara sat closer to Michael and put her hand on his, squeezing it softly in reassurance. "The battery died before I could send it to you. Ja found the message on his phone after we had left Phaecia and when he got my letter with our contact information he figured I should have it and not him." Michael looked up and locked eyes with Sara. "Do you want to watch it?"

Sara was silent for a while. She hadn't expected _that_. A message from Michael in what he believed were his final moments. She hesitated. She could refuse and not watch it. Or she could summon her courage and see what Michael wanted to tell her then. In the end, she chose to go back inside the house with Michael to watch the video in a quieter environment. Michael stayed with her for the duration of the video message and when it was over, both had tears in their eyes. Sara hugged Michael for a long time before finding her voice again and simply saying: "Let's go upstairs." She couldn't say anything meaningful to Michael about his beautiful and heartbreaking message but she hoped that she could show him how much she loved him.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

 _Saturday, June 16_ _th_ _, 2018_

Considering how their wedding day had been abruptly interrupted, they had decided not to celebrate their union that day. Instead, they had opted to pick the date when they had bought their second set of wedding bands together. That was a year ago exactly. And for their "first" anniversary, they had invited all of their friends and family and organized a big party. They had so much more to celebrate than their wedding anniversary. It was also approximately their first year as a family and they wanted everyone that had helped them get there with them that day. Lincoln and LJ were there, obviously. Sheba was there too. She was now living in Boston too. Actually, she was living with Lincoln and their now legally adopted daughters (Mike was ecstatic to have three other cousins!). Sheba's parents and her brother attended as well (they had also moved to Boston and were living close to Lincoln and Sheba). Benjamin and his family as well as Fernando and his family were present.

Sara had insisted on having the party at their house, claiming that if people started to recognize them all together, they would scare the hell out of them so it was more prudent to hold it in the privacy of their home. There was a lot of food and drinks and even presents for Mike who had celebrated his birthday a few weeks before. Sara was sitting next to Sheba and Maricruz, stealing a glance at Mike and Michael from time to time. Just over a year ago, she would have never imagined herself here with them. Michael eventually walked to the kitchen and came back with a huge cake that he started to cut into small pieces and distribute to everyone. He finished by giving a plate to Sara and keeping one for himself. Sara briefly locked eyes with him and smiled. Her "thank you" sounded more sarcastic than sincere and Sheba and Maricruz looked at her with suspicion. After a few minutes, Sara stood up from her seat and demanded everyone's attention. She glanced at Michael one more time before saying: "Thank you all for being here today with us. Michael, Mike and I are extremely happy to share this day with you."

Mike saw his mother pause to control her emotions and encouraged her: "You can do it, Mom!"

"Yes, you can do it, Sara", Michael repeated with the same enthusiasm as his son.

Sara smiled and continued: "Sheba and Maricruz are already questioning why I haven't eaten my cake yet. So, before you ask, I want to announce that I'm pregnant. And, unfortunately, anything sweet really at this point is a no-no…"

A large (and happy) commotion followed Sara's declaration. Congratulations were given, hugs too. The Scofields were going to become a bigger family! Michael and Sara had been reluctant at first to have another child but Mike had made them change their minds. _He_ wanted a sibling. Michael and Sara were confident that he would be a fantastic big brother.

The End


End file.
